Concrete-structure connecting assembly

ABSTRACT

A concrete-structure connecting assembly includes a recessed frame body that defines a frame recess; a cushioning unit that is disposed in the frame recess and resiliently deformable; first and second hinge plates that are stacked together along a stacking direction and surrounded by the recessed frame body, each of the first and second hinge plates having a peripheral end portion that is disposed in the frame recess to abut against the cushioning unit; a first anchoring unit that substantially protrudes from the first hinge plate in the stacking direction away from the second hinge plate; and a second anchoring unit that substantially protrudes from the second hinge plate in the stacking direction away from the first hinge plate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 201420396686.6, filed on Jul. 17, 2014.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a concrete-structure connecting assembly, more particularly to a concrete-structure connecting assembly that has a cushioning unit and first and second hinge plates abutting against the cushioning unit.

BACKGROUND

U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,854 discloses a method for connecting precast concrete units. Each of the precast concrete units has reinforcing bars for connection. In the method, the reinforcing bars of the precast concrete units overlap one another, and then wet concrete is filled into a connecting space at which the reinforcing bars overlap and subsequently the wet concrete is cured and dried in the connecting space. Such connection between the precast concrete units is rigid, and is vulnerable to impacts induced by external forces, such as from earthquakes and hurricanes.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a concrete-structure connecting assembly that can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a concrete-structure connecting assembly that comprises : a recessed frame body defining a frame recess; a cushioning unit disposed in the frame recess and resiliently deformable; first and second hinge plates stacked together along a stacking direction and surrounded by the recessed frame body, each of the first and second hinge plates having a peripheral end portion that is disposed in the frame recess to abut against the cushioning unit; a first anchoring unit protruding from the first hinge plate in the stacking direction away from the second hinge plate; and a second anchoring unit protruding from the second hinge plate in the stacking direction away from the first hinge plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first embodiment of a concrete-structure connecting assembly according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of an assembly of first and second hinge plates, a recessed frame body, an outer frame body, first and second resilient pads and first and second anchoring units of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 2 to illustrate a state where the first and second hinge plates are pivoted away from each other when external forces are applied thereto;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second embodiment of the concrete-structure connecting assembly according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the assembly of the first and second hinge plates, the recessed frame body, the outer frame body, the first and second resilient pads and the first and second anchoring units of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the assembly of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate the first embodiment of a concrete-structure connecting assembly according to the present disclosure. The concrete-structure connecting assembly includes first and second hinge plates 21, 22, a recessed frame body 4, a cushioning unit 6, first and second anchoring units 31, 32, an outer frame body 5, and first and second concrete structures 901, 902.

The recessed frame body 4 is rectangular in shape, and defines a frame space 401 and a frame recess 40 that surrounds and that is in spatial communication with the frame space 401.

The cushioning unit 6 is disposed in the frame recess 40, is resiliently deformable, and includes first and second resilient pads 61, 62 that are rectangular in shape.

The first and second hinge plates 21, 22 are rectangular in shape, are stacked together along a stacking direction (X), are surrounded by the recessed frame body 4, and are movably in contact with each other. Each of the first and second hinge plates 21, 22 has a peripheral end portion 210, 220 that is disposed in the frame recess 40 to abut against a corresponding one of the first and second resilient pads 61, 62 of the cushioning unit 6.

The first anchoring unit 31 includes a plurality of first bar connectors 311 that are transverse to the first hinge plate 21 and that substantially protrude from the first hinge plate 21 in the stacking direction (X) away from the second hinge plate 22. The first bar connectors 311 are spaced apart from one another and are distributed along the peripheral end portion 210 of the first hinge plate 21. The second anchoring unit 32 includes a plurality of second bar connectors 321 that are transverse to the second hinge plate 22 and that substantially protrude from the second hinge plate 22 in the stacking direction (X) away from the first hinge plate 21. The second bar connectors 321 are spaced apart from one another, and are distributed along the peripheral end portion 220 of the second hinge plate 22. The first anchoring unit 31 further includes a plurality of first reinforcing bars 312. The second anchoring unit 32 further includes a plurality of second reinforcing bars 322. Each of the first reinforcing bars 312 is secured to a corresponding one of the first bar connectors 311 and extends therefrom in the stacking direction (X). Each of the second reinforcing bars 322 is secured to a corresponding one of the second bar connectors 321 and extends therefrom in the stacking direction (X).

The first anchoring unit 31 further includes a plurality of first stirrups 313. The second anchoring unit 32 further includes a plurality of second stirrups 323. The first stirrups 313 are secured to the first reinforcing bars 312. The second stirrups 323 are secured to the second reinforcing bars 322.

Each of the first and second bar connectors 311, 321 has a nut body 35 and a stud 36 that protrudes from the nut body 35 into the corresponding one of the first and second hinge plates 21, 22. Each of the first and second reinforcing bars 312, 322 has a screwed end portion 37 that engages threadedly the nut body 35 of the corresponding one of the first and second bar connectors 311, 321.

The recessed frame body 4 has a recess-defining wall 41 that defines the frame recess 40. The first and second resilient pads 61, 62 are separated from each other by the first and second hinge plates 21, 22. Each of the first and second resilient pads 61, 62 is sandwiched between and abuts against the recess-defining wall 41 and the peripheral end portion 210, 220 of the corresponding one of the first and second hinge plates 21, 22.

The outer frame body 5 surrounds and contacts the recessed frame body 4, and has a size greater than that of the recessed frame body 4 for enhancing the shear strength of the concrete-structure connecting assembly.

The first and second concrete structures 901, 902 enclose respectively the first and second reinforcing bars 312, 322 and the first and second stirrups 313, 323, and cooperate with the recessed frame body 4 to enclose the first and second hinge plates 21, 22 and the first and second bar connectors 311, 321.

In certain embodiments, the recessed frame body 4, the first and second hinge plates 21, 22, and the first and second resilient pads 61, 62 may be circular in shape.

FIG. 5 illustrates a condition in which one end segment 217 of the first hinge plate 21 and an adjacent end segment 227 of the second hinge plate 22 push against each other while the remaining segment of the first hinge plate 21 and the remaining segment of the second hinge plate 22 are pivoted away from each other against the first and second resilient pads 61, 62 to form a clearance 8 therebetween when external forces (not shown) are applied to the end segments 217, 227 of the first and second hinge plates 21, 22. The remaining segments of the first and second hinge plates 21, 22 move back toward each other and the clearance 8 thus formed gradually disappears after the external forces disappear. As such, the first and second hinge plates 21, 22 act as hinges and the cushioning unit 6 renders the concrete-structure connecting assembly of the disclosure flexible to counteract the external forces, thereby preventing damages to the concrete-structure connecting assembly.

FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate the second embodiment of the concrete-structure connecting assembly according to the present disclosure. The second embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the second embodiment further includes first and second conduits 71, 72 and that each of the first and second hinge plates 21, 22 is formed with a central hole 205, 206. The central holes 205, 206 of the first and second hinge plates 21, 22 are aligned with each other along the stacking direction (X) . The first conduit 71 is rectangular in shape, contacts the first hinge plate 21, and extends therefrom in the stacking direction (X) away from the second hinge plate 21. The second conduit 72 is rectangular in shape, contacts the second hinge plate 22, and extends therefrom in the stacking direction (X) away from the first hinge plate 21. The first and second conduits 71, 72 are in fluid communication with each other through the central holes 205, 206 in the first and second hinge plates 21, 22. In this embodiment, the first and second concrete structures 901, 902 enclose the first and second conduits 71, 72. The first bar connectors 311 are disposed around the first conduit 71. The second bar connectors 321 are disposed around the second conduit 72. The central holes 205, 206 and the first and second conduits 71, 72 are adapted for pipelines to pass therethrough if necessary.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are considered the exemplary embodiments, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A concrete-structure connecting assembly comprising: a recessed frame body that defines a frame recess; a cushioning unit that is disposed in said frame recess and resiliently deformable; first and second hinge plates that are stacked together along a stacking direction and that are surrounded by said recessed frame body, each of said first and second hinge plates having a peripheral end portion that is disposed in said frame recess to abut against said cushioning unit; a first anchoring unit that substantially protrudes from said first hinge plate in the stacking direction away from said second hinge plate; and a second anchoring unit that substantially protrudes from said second hinge plate in the stacking direction away from said first hinge plate.
 2. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first anchoring unit includes a plurality of first bar connectors that are transverse to said first hinge plate and that substantially protrude from said first hinge plate in the stacking direction away from said second hinge plate, said second anchoring unit including a plurality of second bar connectors that are transverse to said second hinge plate and that substantially protrude from said second hinge plate in the stacking direction away from said first hinge plate.
 3. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first anchoring unit further includes a plurality of first reinforcing bars, said second anchoring unit further including a plurality of second reinforcing bars, each of said first reinforcing bars being secured to and extending from a corresponding one of said first bar connectors in the stacking direction, each of said second reinforcing bars being secured to and extending from a corresponding one of said second bar connectors in the stacking direction.
 4. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first anchoring unit further includes a plurality of first stirrups, said second anchoring unit further including a plurality of second stirrups, said first stirrups being secured to said first reinforcing bars, said second stirrups being secured to said second reinforcing bars.
 5. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said first and second bar connectors has a nut body, each of said first and second reinforcing bars has a screwed end portion that engages threadedly said nut body of the corresponding one of said first and second bar connectors.
 6. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising first and second concrete structures that enclose respectively said first and second reinforcing bars, and that cooperate with said recessed frame body to enclose said first and second hinge plates and said first and second bar connectors.
 7. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recessed frame body has a recess-defining wall that defines said frame recess, said cushioning unit including first and second resilient pads that are separated from each other by said first and second hinge plates, each of said first and second resilient pads being sandwiched between and abutting against said recess-defining wall and said peripheral end portion of the corresponding one of said first and second hinge plates.
 8. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second hinge plates are movably in contact with each other.
 9. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an outer frame body that surrounds and that contacts said recessed frame body.
 10. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second hinge plates is formed with a central hole, said central holes of said first and second hinge plates being aligned with each other along the stacking direction.
 11. The concrete-structure connecting assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising first and second conduits, said first conduit contacting said first hinge plate and extending therefrom in the stacking direction away from said second hinge plate, said second conduit contacting said second hinge plate and extending therefrom in the stacking direction away from said first hinge plate, said first and second conduits being in fluid communication with each other through said central holes in said first and second hinge plates. 